To Making It Count
by BaileeBlair19
Summary: Jack is bored with life of the rich and fabulous on his way to marry young Sarah, daughter of Nathan Hockley. Through his haze he wonders if there's something more out there for him, someone new for him to meet. Meanwhile Poor and desolate Rose solemnly goes on a new adventure with close friends who assure her there's more for her in America however she has little hope for such.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The RMS Titanic, the most luxurious, massive incredible moving object to ever be made, it was said that God himself couldn't sink the ship. It was all the Sarah gabbed about as they sat in the back of the automobile taking them there. Lord could that woman talk, Jack thought to himself starring out the windows. The streets were lined with thousands of people waiting to see the ship set sail. The Second, third and steerage were being put through numerous inspections while first class just waltzed onto the ship. How typical, he thought.

The car came to a smooth halt after rudely beeping their way through the crowd. The door opened for us as Jack took Sarah's hand and stepped out. Holding softly onto her velvet glove his first glance at the ship was nothing but apathy.

"Oh Jack isn't it wonderful!" Sarah's calm quiet voice cheered as she eyed the ship with glamour.

"I don't see what all the fuss is about," Jack said flatly, "it doesn't look any bigger that the . Mauretania"

"Yea can be daft about something Jack but not about Titanic!" Nathan Hockley, Sarah's father's voice came up from behind me, "It's over a hundred feet longer than Mauretania, and far more luxurious."

Nathan turned away to help Jack's mother Ruth out of her car, "your son is far too difficult to impress Mrs. Dawson."

Ruth chuckled nervously; Jack recognized that chuckle well, "so this is the ship they say is unsinkable."

"It's true; God himself could not sink this ship!" Nathan replied as a crew member approached him asking about his bags.

Jack watched the scene between the obscenely rich Nathan and the kind crew member. Nathan, irritated and flustered simply handed him bills and barked orders to make him go away. How rude, Jack thought to himself. How could his mother Ruth expect Jack to bond over his father-in-law to be. Ruth always said he was the ideal man and that Jack should look up to him. What Ruth really wanted was for Jack and Nathan to be close, for Jack to forget all about his other father, his real father. Sarah once again attached to Jack's arm.

"Oh Jack won't this be grand," Sarah said whimsically watching luggage and various other objects being loaded onto the ship, "nothing but open sea out ahead of us and grand parties and dinners every night. This will be a perfect place to plan our wedding."

"Yeah," Jack muttered mustering up a smile, "it'll all be just swell."

"I've always wanted to go on a ship," Sarah said with her strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes glowing in the sunlight, "Haven't you?"

"No, I suppose not," Jack said watching his feet as the climbed up the steps to enter into the higher decks of first class.

This was a lie. Jack remembered the days with his father Fredrick, back what seemed not to long ago when he was standing on this very peer bouncing with excitement with his father by his side watching the Mauretania set sail. How excited he was in his youth at the prospect of setting off on a ship. The romantic idea of seeing the ocean on such a ship, back then Jack fancied the idea of going away on a cruise. His father promised him one day that they, as a family would set off together on such an adventure. Jack supposed that that wasn't the only promise that Fredrick had broken.

Now here Jack was a grown man of eight-teen years, stepping onto a ship that superseded the Mauretania, with adventure at his fingertips and yet he felt as if he were being taken away on a slave ship in chains.

* * *

The young maiden named Rose sat on the edge of her seat, watching the men play cards anxiously. Her eyes kept glancing at the clock as the minutes ticked away. The knots in her stomach and the beating of her heart seemed louder than the loud horns that blew on the grand ship just a hundred yards away, floating in the bay. The bar was smoky and filled with curious eyes watching the dreaded card game. Rose was silently cursing her dear friends Tommy and Fabrizio.

Together the three of them pooled together what little money they had left and placed at bet upon this card game with three other men in the bar. The maiden was never feeling very worried with all her money on the card game she had no more means to travel let alone feed herself. Where would she go, what would she eat that night? However the prize, should Tommy or Fabrizio win would be incredible. Or so that was how they sought it.

The card game went on; the clock's echo rounded the bar in anticipation. As the men traded cards around the table, the unfamiliar men talked in an unfamiliar language obviously upset. Rose couldn't blame them; Tommy had talked all three of them into betting the highly priced and desired third class tickets for the Titanic sailing to America. Everyone talked of so much promise in America, plenty of jobs, plenty of opportunities and yet as each tick of the clock echoed off the walls of the bar Rose lost more hope.

"Olaf?" Tommy asked of one of the men.

He disgracefully put his cards onto the table, nothing.

Alright boy," Tommy said calmly, "moment of truth, someone's life is about to change."

"Sven?" Tommy asked eyeing.

The man Sven calmly put his cards down in front of him for Tommy to observed and so did everyone else.

Rose peered over the men's shoulders to catch a glimpse of his cards.

"Uh oh," Tommy said his voice dropping, "Rose, Fabrizio…I'm sorry."

Rose could feel her knotting stomach falling.

"You're sorry?" Fabrizio said outraged beginning some Italian rant but Rose's Italian still needed work.

Tommy cut him off and pulled Rose over to the table, "Rose I'm sorry that you have to quit your job at Kerrigan's and that you won't see your ma for a long time Fabrizio."

The bar was filled with tension and shock as Tommy happily screamed out "Full house boys! We're going to America!"

Tommy's whoops and hollers filled the bar. Even Rose cried out for a momentary joy, but really deep down she thought that it was just from seeing her friends' happiness. The three men who lost the card games began arguing and punching one another in the foreign language.

"I go to America!" Fabrizio cried out happily as he picked up the three tickets handing one to each Rose and Tommy.

"No Titanic go to America!" the bar tender said cleaning the beer glasses, "In five minutes."

"Oh shit!" Tommy said now picking up Rose's and his own duffel bags.

Rose grabbed for the winning money on the table and slid it into her small coin purse and she, Tommy and Fabrizio Joyfully made their way to the ship of Dreams.

"You'll see young Rose," Tommy promised knowing her disposition, "this will be the change of a new life for you I promise!"

* * *

In first class the floor were shiny, the chandelier and sparkly and glittery and all of the furbishing was divine. Divinely dull, as Jack thought. He stood in a cluster of the first class all ordering their servants to carry all of their things into their suits. Among them was a woman named Molly Brown. Her husband had struck gold out somewhere out west. She was what Ruth called new money. Jack had seen her a time or two at various parties he was dragged to. He liked her. She was very blunt and honest with herself and everyone around her. Jack wished the others would be more like her.

Trudy, one of Jack's servants was struggling with a large box that she carried. Jack recognized what was in it and intended to keep one of its contents hidden.

"Oh here," Jack said going to Trudy taking the large parcel out of her hand, "let me help you with that."

"Why thank you Mr. Dawson," Trudy blushed with a small smile.

"Jack," Ruth said giving him her glare.

"Mother," Jack said carrying it with ease, "it's far too much for any lady, I can do it."

Ruth rolled her eyes while Trudy avoided her painful gaze. Together, he, Nathan, Sarah, Ruth and the servants all made their way to the suits. One suit was for Nathan and Sarah, separated by a sitting room and on the other side was Ruth and Jack's. Their suits all also included a private deck out looking the ocean through the large windows. It was a nice airy room.

"Would you unpack these please?" Jack inquired to Trudy whilst in the sitting room. He was always the only one to say please to the servants. He knew they appreciated it.

"Yes sir," Trudy said formally grabbing the canvases out of the long tall box. They were paintings that Jack had used his share of the money to collect, "is this the one you want?

"No," Jack said knowing what he was looking for, "it had a lot of faces on it.

Trudy pulled out another large canvas and handed it to Jack, "This is the one"

"Would you like all of them out?" Trudy asked politely digging through the box.

"Yes," Jack said looking at the blur of colors and faced on the canvas before him and placed it on the sofa nearby, "we need a little color in this room."

"Put it in there in the wardrobe," Mr. Lovejoy, Nathan's austere assistant demanded as the other servants carrying a large green safe into his suite.

"Oh not those finger painting's again," Nathan said sipping a glass of champagne while Sarah went to the mirror above the fire place to ensure that not a hair was out of place, "those certainly were a waste of money."

"The difference in Mr. Hockley's taste in art and mine is that I have some," Jack said observing them, "they're fascinating, it's like being inside a dream or something. There's truth but no logic."

"What's the artist name?" Trudy asked curiously.

Jack stood staring intently at the landscape setting as the color all blurred together creating a wonderful lily pond setting, "Monet, look at his use of color here. Isn't he great?"

"Those artists wont amount to a thing," Nathan said coolly, "He won't trust me. At least they were cheap."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The boys spent most of the afternoon standing on the front of the ship looking out into Open Ocean. The salty air filled out lungs and threw our hair back. Rose admitted it felt refreshing, but really being this close to the edge, this close to the front made her uneasy. Tommy and Fabrizio were no strangers to jumping right up on the railings overlooking the waters. Rose secretly envied their courage.

"C'mon Rose, at least come look," Tommy tried to prompt.

"No thank you," Rose said wrapping her parasol around her, "suppose I fall overboard."

"Well then we'll jump in after you," Fabrizio confided smiling and turned back to the water.

"Look! Look at that!" Tommy said pointing into the water.

Even from a few feet away Rose could see Fabrizio's smile from ear to ear even though she had no idea what they were talking about.

Tommy jumped off the rail and grabbed Rose's hand, "Rose you must come see, I'll hold onto you I promise. You must at least look."

"Oh alright," Rose grumbled but was secretly curious as to what the boys were talking about. She cautiously and slowly reached for the white railing with her opposite hand while the other had a death grip upon Tommy's. She stayed standing safely on the deck but casually peered over and saw large things skimming the waters.

"What are those?" Rose questioned.

"Dolphins! Look, watch them jump!" Tommy said leaving rose and hoping back up the railing, "watch them! Look at them all!"

The numerous dolphins expediently skimmed the surface of the water, racing with the ship, playing with it. They moved so freely jumping out of the water and diving back in again. They appeared joyous and carefree. For that one fleeting moment, Rose realized she may never see this sight again and had glimmer of excitement at seeing new things. She wondered what it would be like to be such a creature to move so gracefully and freely. The idea made her too smile from ear to ear only to have a gust of winded reality hit her. The gust made her stumble and her anxiety spiked as she grabbed the rail for support.

"I can see the statue of liberty already," Fabrizio toyed, "very small of course!"

Tommy and Fabrizio let their screams of joy and excitement ring out in the wind as they sped closer and closer to what they were sure would be a brighter future while Rose began imagining what it would be like to fall off the side of this ship.

* * *

"She is the largest moving man-made object in all of history," Mr. Ismay, a manager for White Star Line who funded titanic, boasted, "and our master ship builder Mr. Andrews designed her from the keel haul up."

"Well knotting may have been mine but the idea was Mr. Ismay's," Mr. Andrews said modestly, "he envisioned a steamer so grand and a living quarters so luxurious that it's supremacy would never be challenged and here she is, wielded into solid reality"

"Hear, hear," said another man who Jack was unfamiliar with.

Jack had spent most of lunch sketching out his tea cup in a plain beige book, a gift from his mother. There stored all his drawings of flowers, portraits of Sarah and Ruth, drawings of Jack's prized horses and automobiles all things that Ruth requested her talented son to create. His real artwork, his best drawings he kept hidden away from everyone in a brown old leather book that he had hidden with all the paintings he had purchased. He knew that no one would think to look there. He had bought that leather book all by himself. Once when jack was a boy an upper-class woman, possible a wife to a business man or a politician had gone on an expansive shopping trip in Paris. Jack offered to help her carry her bags out to her car. In reward the woman had given him a dollar. He was used to his parents always giving him money but this was the first time that he had ever actually earned money for himself. He held onto that precious dollar for years until her found this tattered brown leatheresketch book. He wasn't sure what Jack was attracted to this but he gave away that dollar just for it. It was the same book he had hidden in the pocket in his jacket. However for now, he had to stick with the pristine over expensive beige one from his mother. Drawing in this book was the only distraction from the mundane conversations. He only took a break to take out a cigarette that he had hidden in his breast pocket.

Of course, Ruth's disapproving look was customary, "you know I don't like that Jack."

Jack just gave her a patronizing look wondering how much longer was his mother going to treat him like a boy.

"He knows," Sarah replied taking it from him and began batting her pretty eyes, "you know it causes terrible breath darling."

Jack sighed irritated as the waiter approached us and of course chatty Sarah took command "We'll have the lamb, rare with very little mint sauce. You like lamb right darling?"

Molly gave Jack a sympathetic look, "You gonna cut his meat for you there too Sarah?"

"Well we are going to be husband and wife," Sarah said gleefully taking Jacks' hands, "it is my duty to honor my husband always."

Ruth gave Jack that glare, urging him to say something.

"Hear, hear," Jack said sarcastically with a small grin.

Several of the men chuckled at the shared insider joke symbolizing their dominance.

"Say, who thought of the name Titanic? Was it you Bruce?" Molly asked changing the subject.

"Well yes actually," Mr. Ismay explained in between bites, "I wanted to convey sheer size and size means, stability, luxury, and above all strength."

It was difficult to hold back a smirk on Jack's face with his thoughts and Mr. Ismay's words, "Do you know of Dr. Froyd Mr. Ismay? His ideas about the man's preoccupation with size may be of particular interest to you."

Even Molly and Mr. Andrew's shared the same smirk at the idea.

"What's gotten into you Jack?" Ruth whispered furiously to her son.

"Excuse me," Jack said standing and exiting out onto the deck.

"I do apologize," Ruth said to the group flustered.

"He's a pistol Sarah," Molly said turning to her, "all the best men are though. He'll fight for you till the very end."

"Well then I suppose I should admire him more," Sarah said dutifully.

"We must start minding what he reads from now on," Nathan muttered under his breath.

"Froyd who is he?" Sarah asked looking around, "is he a passenger?"

* * *

Rose sat on the lounge chair with a young girl names Cora. Rose's fingers worked meticulously pulling the her hair back into a braid.

"Will I be as beautiful as you one day?" Cora asked smiling her small toothy grin.

"Of course not, you will be even more beautiful," Rose promised to her tying her hair into place with a small velvet ribbon.

Rose couldn't imagine anyone really considering her beautiful. He dresses always seemed to be covered in dirt or beer stains. Courtesy of all the pubs she worked in over the last few years. Her mother was a seamstress and had taught her how to make her own clothes however on a small waitresses salary she never quiet had money to buy any nice material. Therefore all of her dresses were faded or in ugly colors because those material were cheap. Aside from that her face was slender, with deep blue eyes and fiery red hair which she usually just wore up in a plain bun.

Next to Rose and Cora were Rose's best friends Tommy and Fabrizio. The three had made an unlikely friendship over the years as they became regulars at one of the bars she worked at. However it never went past a friendship. They both tried to press their advantage with Rose but kindly respected her when she assured them they were to only remain friends.

"This ship is nice no?" Fabrizio asked through his thick accent.

"Yeah it's an Irish ship," Tommy explained smoking a cigarette leaning against the railing.

"Is English no?" Fabrizio questioned him.

"No, it was built in Ireland; fifteen thousand Irishmen built this ship, big Irish hands. Solid as a rock she is," Tommy assured.

At that moment a man dressed in a fine tailored suit came back with multiple mutts on leashes. He was clearly out of place.

"Well that's typical," Tommy said giving him a disapproving look, "first class dogs coming down here to take a shoit."

"It lets us know where we rank in the scheme of things," Rose replied as Cora ran off to play with other children.

"Like we could forget," Tommy laughed shaking his head.

Rose's eyes wandered from Tommy's the man behind him, a man starring right back at her. He was standing up on first class deck and was obviously one of them. Rose tried to advert her gaze but found it difficult. He was incredibly handsome, with eyes that seemed to burn right through Rose as if trying to find a deeper truth. No matter how many times Rose tried to avoid is stare he just kept watching her, as if they were being drawn together through some invisible magnetic force. She suddenly became curious of him. What was his name? Where was he from? Rose wanted to know him.

"Ah forget it Rose," Tommy said seeing her gaze, "that guys not worthy to shine my boots. You can find a man ten times him right here."

Perhaps so, Rose thought but not quiet. A man like that could find a much better woman, more to offer him. It wasn't that he was unworthy it was she who was. She had no money, no name, no fine things to even make herself be noticed. Not like the woman who approached him a few moments later. She was beautiful, like a doll that Rose had always desired as a child. Her hair was the color of the sun and had a dress so extravagant that not even the Rose's mother's dress shop was worth what that one dress was worth.

The beautiful woman beckoned for the man to come back inside, trying to be affectionate as she pulled him back in. Still even with the angel next to him, he still looked over his should back at Rose and smiled.

* * *

Later that evening we were all due for dinner and the same mindless chatter of the night. As Jack stood in his suit waving his hair back and adjusting his jacket into place his kept traveling back to the mysterious woman out on the third class deck he saw earlier today. Her deep red hair shone like rubies and her delicate face showed sorrow and yet a longing, a longing to be held and cherished, as Jack observed. He had an over whelming desire to learn her name to learn anything about her really. He somehow felt as if there was something drawing him to her and it was the only thing that had consumed his thoughts since he had seen her. A small knock came onto his door Sarah let herself in.

"So," Sarah said twirling in front of him coming closer, "what do you think."

She was beautiful; her hair fell down elegantly into curls that contrasted her deep red dress with black rhinestone decorating the low cut collar. Her face was soft and young; she was only seventeen and lived like a princess. To Jack, she still looked to young and naïve for him and Jack knew from first-hand experience that he head was as empty as a flower pot. She was just as superficial and self-absorbed as the rest of them.

"You look splendid," Jack said trying to sound authentic.

"As do you," Sarah said as she pulled off a red rose from a nearby arrangement and pinned it to his lapel, "I am quite a lucky girl to have someone as handsome as you."

"I would think the luck would be entirely mine," Jack said rehearsing a line overused by his mother.

"We both are," Sarah replied placing her hands on his chest and slowly snaking them around his neck.

Jack responded by placing his hands on her hips softly but showed no emotion upon his face.

"We live like royalty Jack. I know you've been distant I don't pretend to know why," Sarah said with her ruby red lips and bright blue eyes shining, looking for a response, "what is it that you want?"

Jack bowed his head, "It's not that simple Sarah."

"Then tell me," Sarah invited holding him close, "you know there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. Just think of the life we could have. A wedding, a home, children, my father taking care of us for all our lives."

Jack again said nothing not even entirely sure how to respond as Sarah inched closer to him placing her painted lips on his. Jack felt nothing from the kiss it was stale and boring and tasted so typical. Was it such a crime to want something more? To want something different for once?

Sarah deepened this kiss pulling him closer and broke off momentarily to say, "Is this what you want?"

"Sarah," Jack said trying to think up an excuse, "we're not married yet."

"But we will be soon enough," Sarah said pleadingly.

"Come, we'll be late for dinner," Jack said stepping away from her as he exited the room.

In the sitting room Ruth was slipping on her evening gloves as Nathan took her arm.

"Well, shell we then?" Nathan said smiling as they all left for dinner.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It was like Jack had seen his whole life played out before him, an endless array of cotillions, parties and yachts. As Sarah had said, there would be a wedding, children, a home, business transactions and everything jack could possible want. Jack wondered why his life had to be so predictable. He was unbelievably bored with everything only now when his mind wandered back to that woman down in third class he saw earlier today. He couldn't stop thinking about her. He just really wished he knew her name at the very least.

Sarah and Ruth talked on about the wedding details such as color schemes and the guest list, all of Philadelphia society would be in attendance. Nathan was already talking about his plans for his son-in-law Jack.

"I plan on taking Mr. Dawson under my wing," Nathan boasted to several other business men. Nathan was a well-polished groomed man. His square face was stern and dull, not a hair out of place and always freshly shaven, "I will teach him everything he needs to know and bring him unto my team."

"He's only a boy," one man pointed out, "he's much too young."

"So he will learn," Nathan replied, "he has become something of a son to me. He is to marry my princess when we return home."

"You're a lucky man Jack," another man replied, "She's quite a catch everything a woman ought to be."

"Hear, hear," the men chanted.

Blah, blah, blah Jack thought. He also took offense to everyone acting like his real father no longer existed. Of course that was how Ruth had wished it to be. Sure, when the scandal broke out everyone berated the name of Fredrick Dawson. He had found a new woman, a 19 year old girl and had an affair for some time. Jack remembers holding his mother at her broken heart. He had truly broken her heart, that much was certain. However Jack was very fond of his father, he was the one who taught him how to be a man. Only he like Jack was questioning, chose to leave it all behind for himself instead of staying in the prearranged marriage between him and Ruth all those years ago.

"Excuse me gentleman," Jack said standing up, "I think I'll go for a walk among the stars."

The other men chuckled at him; none of them truly appreciated seeing the sky as Jack did. They were too preoccupied in their skyscrapers and glittering cities to notice.

Aimlessly Jack wandered out onto the deck and made his way to the very back lighting his last cigarette along the way. He always kept his gaze up towards the sky. The wind chilled him; they were definitely heading into colder waters. He pulled his jacket around him and layed down on the bench. From out here in the middle of this ocean, with no cities around him he felt incredibly peaceful but lonely. Like his soul was just sleeping, awaiting for someone to light a fire within his heart the way he felt when he was drawing in his brown leather book. If only…

The sound of rubber soled shoes running frantically along the deck is what caught Jacks attention first. He sat up and saw the fiery red head run past him in broken sobs. She collided with the railing with the back of the ship in front of her. Jack could hear her quiet sobs as she climbed up the railing. Was she going to jump? Jack slowly rose puffing his cigarette. He now had a chance to study her up close. Her hair had these wonderful natural curls, her dress was nothing to impress but to Jack she looked so real. Like she had a history to tell, not like those highly polished self-absorbed girls he hung out with. Just like what he felt before he felt drawn to her, as if he could stay away.

She finally made it all the way over the railing and turned away facing the wide ocean ahead of her. It wasn't a beautiful grave, the Titanic was the only beacon of light in miles. Jack knew the water down there would be freezing and dark. He couldn't let her do it. He felt like he would have no choice but to jump in after her if he did. Just as she began to lean over the railing…

"Don't do it," Jack implored keeping his distance as to not frighten her.

"Stay back!" She demanded with a shaky voice, "don't come any closer!"

"Come on," Jack said holding out his praying she'd take it, "just give me your hand I'll help you back over."

"No, stay where you are! I mean it!" she tried to explain, "I'll let go."

Jack almost felt like chuckling, she sounded like a child threating to do something naughty if she didn't get what she wanted. Jack lifted his burnt out cigarette gesturing that he wanted to throw it over the edge and took one step closer to her, "No you won't."

She looked offended, "What do you mean no I won't? Don't presume to tell me what I will or will not do, you don't know me!"

So she had a mind of her own, Jack thought, "Well…you woulda done it already."

"You're distracting me go away!" she yelled out tried to sound authoritative.

"I can't," Jack admitted, "I'm involved now, and if you jump I'm gonna have to jump in there after you."

"Don't be absurd you'd be killed!" she said shocked at his words.

"I'm a good swimmer," Jack replied recalling the summers spent in the pools with his father.

"The fall alone would kill you," Rose said looking back down to the water.

"It would hurt," Jack admitted and began unlacing his shoes, "I'm not saying it wouldn't. To tell you the truth I'm a lot more concerned about that water being so cold."

She paused and looked out scared and curious, "How cold?"

"Freezing, maybe a couple degrees over," Jack explained unbuttoning his jacket, "you ever been ice fishing? You know that's where you-"

"I know what Ice fishing is!" she yelled at him frustrated.

"Sorry," Jack replied as he began placing more clothes on the floor. He knew wet clothes would weigh him down, "you just seem like not much of a nature girl. Anyway me and my father, I fell through some thin ice and I'm telling you…water that cold like right down there, it hits you like a thousand knives stabbing you all over your body. You can't breathe, you can't think…at least not about anything about the pain. Which is why I'm not looking forward to jumping in there after you."

Through his whole speech the girls face seemed to go paler as she looked down at the water nervously.

"Like I said, I don't have a choice," Jack replied now down to his socks and button up shirt, "I guess I'm kinda hoping you'll come back over the railing and get me off the hook here."

The girl look unresolved, "you're crazy."

"That's what everyone says," Jack shrugged, "but with all due respect miss, I'm not the one hanging off the back of a ship here. C'mon, give me your hand, you don't want to do this."

The girl looked upon her face and Jack came to realize up close she was beautiful. Far more than Sarah could ever be. He lips were thick and reddened from the cold along with her full cheeks. Her eyes were deep and full of sadness, it made Jack wonder why was she sad. He wanted to know more. Slowly she reached out her hand to him and carefully turned around. Their first contact made Jack's stomach flip with excitement, her hands were cold.

"I'm Jack Dawson," Jack smiled truthfully for the first time in a while.

Jack: Whew! I'm Jack Dawson.

"Rose De Witt Bukater," Rose introduced herself while she wobbly climbed up the railing.

Jack placed his other hand on her waist to help her balance more, "I'm gonna have to get you to write that one down."

She chuckled delightfully with a small smile that Jack only had the pleasure of seeing for a moment. As she raised her other foot to step on the rail within an instant she slipped dangling off the back of the ship. Rose's desperate screams made Jack's heart spiked to his throat as his gripped furiously onto Rose's wrists. Rose's life was now in Jack's hands.

"C'mon! C'mon," Jack grunted struggling to stabilize her.

Rose attempted once again to grab onto the railing but her slipped again and shrilly cried out, "Help! Help me please!"

"Listen to me! Rose look at me!" Jack demanded wanting her full attention with her eyes buried within his Jack felt as if there was nothing he couldn't do, "I've got you alright? I won't let go, now pull yourself up c'mon!"

Together the two of them amidst her screams the two of them pulled together as she began climbing up the bars. When Jack had the opportunity he wrapped his arms around her flail body pulling her back onto the ship. The two of them stumbled clumsily onto the deck with him falling on top of her.

Rose was shaky looking up at the handsome man that had just saved her. Now she had the chance to really study his face, he was young with a child's spirit hidden in him. The way he was looking at her, both of them panting heavily from anxiety, suddenly a bonded trust grew between them. They didn't even notice when a few officers same upon the scene looking at them. It now occurred to Jack that the skirt of Rose's dress had traveled up during the fall and his boots and jacket were lying nearby. The two knew that this did not look good.

"You stand back!" The officer demanded of him, "Welch, fetch the master of arms!"

The officers separated Jack and Rose while the officers fetched a blanket for her. She sat nearby with an officer asked if she was well while another officer gave Jack scowling looks. Within a few minutes Nathan, Mr. Lovejoy and a few other business associates where there walking straight past Rose to Jack.

"Mr. Hockley," the officer guarding Jack said surprised suddenly straightening up, "May I help you sir?"

"Yes! Explain to me why you have my son-in-law under arms?" Nathan demanded angrily.

"This is- He's-" the officer asked now getting flustered and embarrassed.

"Yes he is and whatever he is accused of I can assure you they are false, now let him go!" Nathan barked as the officer stepped away from Jack.

Nathan began looking around the scene and noticed Rose for the first time who gave him a sheepish look, "Who is she?"

"Rose," Jack said watching her and saying her name like a prayer.

"We came upon the scene to what looked like your son was…was taking advantage of the young lady," the officer nervously explained.

"A scandal!" Nathan proclaimed. Nathan always loved a good fight, even if he never even really believed in his cause, he just wanted to win.

"Gentlemen!" Rose cried out stepping up into the group of men, "It was an accident!"

"An accident?" Mr. LoveJoy asked suspiciously.

"Stupid really, I was leaning over and I slipped" Rose said weaving a tale, "I was leaning far over to see the uh…the uh…"

Nathan rolled his eyes not even bothering to look at her.

"The uh…" Rose still tried.

"The propellers?" Nathan asked impatiently still not even bothering to look at her.

"The propellers!" Rose exclaimed, "I was leaning over to see the propellers and I slipped and I would have gone overboard but Mr. Dawson saved me and almost went over himself."

"She wanted to see the propellers," Nathan replied sarcastically, "like I always said, women and machinery do not mix."

"Was that the way of it?" the officer watching jack asked as everyone turned to him.

"Yeah," Jack retorted, "that was pretty much it."

"Well then the boy's a hero," one of Nathan's associates beamed, "good for you son well done! Well now that that's settled its back to our brandy eh gentlemen?"

The group began to disperse.

"Come on darling," the officer watching Rose said, "I'll escort you back to third class."

Jack felt a wicked spike of jealousy as the two began walking away.

"Wait," Jack called out to her as everyone turned to look at him, "perhaps you could…could join us for dinner tomorrow night."

"Jack," Nathan said giving him a questing look.

"Come now," Jack said trying to talk his way through this. He couldn't setting with this one moment being his only encounter with Rose, he need more, "it's only one dinner. To compensate for what nearly could have been a tragedy."

"Oh very well," Nathan said rolling his eyes as went on with his associates back to first class.

Jack stood behind as Mr. Lovejoy was one of the few last to leave. Jack whistled at him.

Mr. Lovejoy regarded him smugly.

"Can I bum a smoke?" Jacked asked him.

Mr. Lovejoy reached into his pocket pulling out his cigarettes. Jack took one in between his teeth and the other behind his ear.

"You'll want to tie those," Mr. Lovejoy said indicating towards his shoes, "curious, the lady slipped so suddenly and yet you had time to remove your shoes and jacket.

Jack just simply returned the same grimace that Mr. Lovejoy shared for him.


End file.
